Saturday, November 26, 2005
Allure "Total Makeover"
For the past year, "Allure" magazine has been running a "Total Makeover" feature about three women who set out on a quest to improve their bodies through diet and exercise. It has been interesting to watch their progress from one month to another. Even though the month-to-month pictures didn't always show much change, the difference between the "before" (one year ago) and "after" (now) pictures is astonishing!
Mikale Lichota, 28, started out at 5'7" weighing 215 pounds. Today she weighs 147. She commented that she "never thought there would be such a mental change as well." It makes sense, though. Our heads eventually have to catch up with our bodies, and we need to adjust our mental image of ourselves after we lose weight. (A friend of mine recently lost 90 pounds and looks gorgeous, but she still thinks she's fat!)
April Joy Varner, 33, started out at 5'8" weighing 214 pounds. Today she weighs 164. Poor April had "resigned herself to being overweight." Over the past year, she has learned the importance of staying on plan every day and being mindful of your eating and exercise. Like she said, "It's never really over." Now, that's a "flabu-less" way of thinking!
Kate Schmidt, 25, started out at 5'8" weighing 259 pounds and trimmed down to 173.8. Kate surprised herself because she never thought she could get below 200 pounds. One important thing Kate pointed out is that we cannot compare our results with those of others. Even though she believes that society still thinks of her as fat, Kate is proud of herself -- and she certainly should be!
I applaud these beautiful women for their courage and accomplishments. Adapting to the rigors of their new exercise routines and eating behaviors had to be a very difficult process, I'm sure. Nevertheless, they have reaped enormous rewards for sticking to their plans.
Now that this year's feature article is over, I hope Allure selects three more women for a similar makeover next year. Stories like these, and TV shows like "The Biggest Loser," which show ordinary people undergoing amazing transformations before our very eyes can be extremely inspiring. They exalt our imaginations and help us to realize that, by committing to some hard work and dedicating ourselves to a new lifestyle, we too can become "flabu-less."
Mikale Lichota, 28, started out at 5'7" weighing 215 pounds. Today she weighs 147. She commented that she "never thought there would be such a mental change as well." It makes sense, though. Our heads eventually have to catch up with our bodies, and we need to adjust our mental image of ourselves after we lose weight. (A friend of mine recently lost 90 pounds and looks gorgeous, but she still thinks she's fat!)
April Joy Varner, 33, started out at 5'8" weighing 214 pounds. Today she weighs 164. Poor April had "resigned herself to being overweight." Over the past year, she has learned the importance of staying on plan every day and being mindful of your eating and exercise. Like she said, "It's never really over." Now, that's a "flabu-less" way of thinking!
Kate Schmidt, 25, started out at 5'8" weighing 259 pounds and trimmed down to 173.8. Kate surprised herself because she never thought she could get below 200 pounds. One important thing Kate pointed out is that we cannot compare our results with those of others. Even though she believes that society still thinks of her as fat, Kate is proud of herself -- and she certainly should be!
I applaud these beautiful women for their courage and accomplishments. Adapting to the rigors of their new exercise routines and eating behaviors had to be a very difficult process, I'm sure. Nevertheless, they have reaped enormous rewards for sticking to their plans.
Now that this year's feature article is over, I hope Allure selects three more women for a similar makeover next year. Stories like these, and TV shows like "The Biggest Loser," which show ordinary people undergoing amazing transformations before our very eyes can be extremely inspiring. They exalt our imaginations and help us to realize that, by committing to some hard work and dedicating ourselves to a new lifestyle, we too can become "flabu-less."
// posted by Beauty and the Brain @ 10:45 AM 
